Matthieu Valet consistently condemns all forms of rioting, framing urban unrest as the work of "thugs" and calling for a severe judicial and financial response against delinquents. As a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), spokesperson for the National Rally (RN), and a former police captain, his remarks strongly emphasize total support for law enforcement and strict public order.

 

Matthieu Valet remarks about the riots

Matthieu Valet consistently condemns all forms of rioting, framing urban unrest as the work of "thugs" and calling for a severe judicial and financial response against delinquents. As a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), spokesperson for the National Rally (RN), and a former police captain, his remarks strongly emphasize total support for law enforcement and strict public order.

His notable public positions and statements regarding riots and urban violence include:

Tactical Shift for Law Enforcement []

• Proactive Policing: Following recent unrest, Valet argued that security forces must shift from defensive to offensive tactics.
• Dynamic Deployment: He explicitly stated that authorities "need proactive police officers, not static riot police deployed to guard perimeters".
• Protecting the Protectors: He frequently fights back against anti-police rhetoric, emphasizing that "the police should not be the mops of the Republic".

Financial and Judicial Retribution

• Hitting the Wallet: Valet demands that rioters and delinquents face immediate financial consequences, arguing that authorities "must hit the delinquent in the wallet".
• Condemning Left-Wing Enablers: He claims that ordinary working citizens are left to "pay for the crazy actions of leftists" who tolerate or excuse rioting.
• No Excuses: He criticizes the French justice system for what he calls "lax security," asserting that the state too often "excuses everything to thugs and forgets the victims".

Media Reactions to Specific Incidents

• Paris Influencer Riot: When a promotional restaurant event descended into street clashes in central Paris, Valet took to social media to applaud the police for apprehending "thugs determined to pick a fight, throw projectiles, and sow chaos".
• Condemnation of "Les Soulèvements de la Terre": He labeled the environmental activist group violent and dangerous, comparing their radical demonstrations to unlawful rioting.
• Political Exploitation: Valet routinely accuses far-left parties, particularly La France Insoumise (LFI), of using anti-police sentiment and urban riots as "electoral fuel" while ignoring the safety of the public